Devices for removing impurities from fluids



Dec. 16', 1969 c. WOLK'ENHAUER 3,483,984

DEVICES FOR REMOVING IMPURITIES FROM FLUIDS Filed March 6, 1967 .4 Sheets-Sheet 1 lnvenfo r: CdFZ We z/fevzhauek Q/WZQQIZU Dec. 16, 1969 c, WOLKENHAUER 3,483,984

DEVICES FOR REMOVING IMPURITIES FROM FLUIDS Filed March 6, 1967 v .4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fly. 3 i6 J5 Cai? Woz/f fg zk Dec. 16, 1969 c. WOLKENHAUER 3,483,934

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Inventor: Car? Wo?/\ 72 hem er 1. a, N A V m Dec. 16, 1969 c. WOLKENHAUER DEVICES FOR REMOVING IMPURITIES FROM FLUIDS Filed March 6, 1967 .4 Sheets-Sheet 4 ram m m n 1., E QU WW 7, 07 W7 2 F & C

United States Patent M 3,483,984 DEVICES FOR REMOVING IMPURITIES FROM FLUIDS Carl Wolkenhauer, 6 Eisensteinstrasse, Osterode am Harz, Germany Filed Mar. 6, 1967, Ser. No. 620,862 Claims priority, application Germany, Mar. 7, 1966, W 41,084 Int. Cl. FOlm 11/02, 11/00 U.S. Cl. 210-168 12 Claims ABSTRACT (IF THE DISCLOSURE The present invention relates to cleaning devices for fluid media and more particularly media such as lubricating oil, water, or aqueous solutions of cleaning agents, in which the medium to be cleaned is passed into a sub-divided settling container via at least one settling chamber serving for the deposit of impurities or the like. 7

Known devices of the above type operate with open settling chambers, that is to say chambers open to the atmosphere, or with settling containers into which the liquid has to be fed by means of a pump or by a reservoir placed at a higher level. The use of a reservoir is however only possible in exceptional circumstances. Also closed filter devices working under a high pressure are known which naturally require a large degree of power for their operation. The settling chambers are generally laced adjacent to each other or in series and the dimensions of such cleaning devices are comparatively large. The powerful or rapid flow in the devices of the medium caused by the medium being subjected to a gage pressure leads to turbulence which is undesired since it hinders deposit or setfling of the impurities from the medium.

The object of the invention is to remove these and other defects of known devices for cleaning fluids, and to develop a particularly simple device which is cheap to produce, effective and dependable in operation and can be used with liquids of all types, and also, in certain circumstances, with gases. The device of the invention is intended to meet practical requirements more effectively than known devices and is of universal application.

The invention consists substantially in that in the settling container of the cleaning device, a bell-shaped guide part or the like, which has a fluid-tight top part and ends above the settling container bottom, is used to form a space at a subatmospheric pressure from which the cleaned medium is drawn off making use of the effect of atmospheric pressure on the medium upstream from the guide part, using a suction tube or the like. The subatmospheric pressure can be produced in a particularly simple manner by using a siphoning effect, though it is also possible to use a suction pump coupled with the suction tube, the outlet connection of the pump being connected via a pressure pipe, as may be required; for example, the pressure pipe can lead to a collecting container or to a pipe system.

3,483,984 Patented Dec. 16, 1969 Such a cleaning device not only possesses a particularly simple construction but can also be accommodated in a comparatively small space, is trouble free in operation, and serves for the removal of coarser and finer impurities and other foreign bodies from the fluid so as to achieve a high degree of purification. The medium to be purified flows practically without turbulence through the settling containers from which the residue collected from the fluid can be removed comparatively easily. The use of the siphon principles enables the device to be arranged in a manner adapted to particular space requirements or to make access more readily available The number of the settling chambers provided depends upon the particular circumstances occurring in the case of application in view, and also upon the nature and quantity of the impurities to be removed, as well as on the degree of purification required. It is also comparatively easy to provide coarse and fine filters and sieves or the like between the settling chambers as an addition.

In accordance with a particularly practical and compact embodiment of the invention, the settling container, the bell-shaped guide part, the suction tube, and the settling chambers of the cleaning device are arranged concentrically in relation to one another. :Preferably a cylindrical cross section is chosen for the device, though it is also possible to use polygonal or rectangular cross sections.

The formation of two or more concentric settling chambers inside an approximately pot-shaped cleaning device can be realised, in accordance with a preferred feature of the invention which is particularly simple, by making the settling container so that it is sub-divided into two or more inter-spaces by means inside its outer casing including one or more intermediate casings which are connected in a fluid-tight manner with the bottom of the container and above, at a position below the horizontal part of the guide part, provide passages; in a corresponding manner the guide part with a bell shape is then provided inside its outer casing with one or more intermediate casings which are then connected with the horizontal part of the guide part in a fluid-tight manner, extend in a downward direction between the intermediate casing or casings of the settling container and the suction tube and end some distance above the bottom of the container. Below the bottom of the settling container, there are thus formed settling chambers which are concentric about the central suction tube from which the deposited residue can be removed, if required, by openings in the bottom of the container, provision being made for closing the openings.

If the space available for the cleaning device is limited in a radial direction, the settling chambers can be arranged concentrically in relation to a central suction tube, using the basic principle of the invention, while being arranged axially one above the other.

The settling container can open above the bell-shaped guide part and the liquid to be cleaned can flow downwards, through the space between the outer casing of the settling container and the outer casing of the bell-shaped guide part in a downward direction, and under the guide part. This form of construction is, e.g., particularly wellsuited for removing particles in small and large enterprises, in repair garages, and the like because the dirty cleaning fluid can flow from a cleaning container arranged above the settling container and downwards into the settling chamber, which it leaves after cleaning through the suction tube in a circuit leading to the washing container or through a nozzle. In accordance with another embodiment of the invention which is especially suitable, for example, for use as an oil cleaner in stationary or motor vehicle 10 engines, the settling container can also be closed, preferably by an enlarged hori- I 3 zontal part of the bell-shaped guide part. The supply of the oil to becle'aned from the engine sump can take place through a lateral inlet connection on the settling container. In this case, the sump forms the collecting container for the liquid which is placed at atmospheric pressure, whichleads to the formation of a subatmospheric pressure zone in the suction tube producing a siphoning effect.

Further possibilities of application of cleaning devices in accordance with the inventioninclude, forexample, water purifying arrangements, purifying arrangements for waste oil or other liquids, and other clarifying and filtration plant. If required, the subatmospheric pressure principleof the invention can also be used for the cleaning of air" and gases, for example, in air-conditioning plant or the like, in which case the settling container can be operated with or without a charge of water. Inwhat follows various examples of the application of the invention are described referring to the drawings; though it is to be understood that the scope of the in vention is not to be limited to these embodiments or applications of the invention. The description following also refers to further advantageous forms and individual features of the invention, for which protection is claimed. Also the invention covers all modifications of its essential principle, these modifications being determined in accordance with the particular application in view.

The drawings show various embodiments of the invention by way of example only.

FIG. 1 is a vertical section of a cleaning device in accordance with the invention using three concentric settling chambers.

FIG. 2 shows the cleaning device partially in horizontal section on the line A-B of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a diagrammatic vertical section of a travelling devlce for cleaning workpieces with a cleaning device in accordance with FIGS. 1 and 2 as component of the cleaning device.

FIG. 4 shows the washing device of FIG. 3 in elevation with the bottom of the washing container partially broken away.

FIG. 5 is a diagrammatic vertical section of the bottom part of a motor vehicle engine with an oil cleaning device in accordance with a modified embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 6 is a vertical section of a cleaning device in accordance with the invention using filters and heating means.

FIG. 7 is a diagrammatic vertical section of a further embodiment of the cleaning device for liquids, a possible'modification being indicated in broken lines.

The cleaning device shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 consists substantially of a pot-shaped settling chamber 1, a bellshaped guide part 2 in the container 1, and a suction tube 3. The settling container 1, the part 2 and the suction tube 3 have circular cross sections in accordance with this embodiment of the invention and are placed concentrically inside one another. Preferably these parts are made of sheet metal, though if required they can be made of another material such as plastic.

The settling container 1 comprises a container bottom 4, an outer casing 5, and two annular intermediate casings 6 and 7 Whose lower edges are welded or otherwise connected with the container bottom 4. In the middle the container bottom 4 has an opening through which the suction tube 3 passes and is welded or otherwise connected with bottom 4.

The bell-shaped guide part 2 comprises a horizontal part 8, an outer bell-shaped casing 9, an annular intermediate casing 10, and an inner annular casing 11. The casings 9, 10 and 11 are welded or otherwise connected with the part 2.

The part 2 is arranged concentrically in the settling container -1 in such a manner that the upper edges of the intermediate container casings 6 and 7 and the upper edge of the suction tube 3 are spaced at a distance a from the horizontal part 2, while the lower edges of the intermediate casings 9, 10, and 11 are at a distance 15 above the container bottom 4. The distanc b is preferably greater than the distance a. In order to fix the position of the part 2 as required in the chamber 1 in a simple manner, the embodiment includes a support plate 13 which is attached by bolts 14 to the upper end of the suction pipe 3 using support straps 1 2. The'part 2 has a central hole with which it is placed over the bolt 14, lies on the carrier 1 3 and is clamped in position by means of nut 15. I I

Between the suction tube 3 andthe inner casing- 11 it is possible to providean annular sieve 16 (if required) in the form, for example, of a.perforated tube of wire fabric or the like. The container bottom 4 is provided between the concentric casings 5, 6, and 7 with outlet openings which are normally closed by means of screws 17; while the horizontal part 2 is provided at positions between the casings 9, 10, and 11 with discharge holes which are normally closed by means of screws 18.

With this arrangement of the bell-shaped guide part 2 in the settling container, annular settling chambers 19-21 are formed in the lower part; of the settling container 1. between the container casings 5-7 and below the lower edges of the casings 911, while in the upper part of the part 2, annular entry slits 22-4 are left between the upper edges of the intermediate casings 6 and 7 and of the suction tub 3, on the one hand, and on the other, the horizontal part 3 of the guide part.

The liquid to be cleaned is introduced in the top part of the settling container and flows in the direction of the arrows down between the casings 5 and 9, through the settling chamber 19 again between the casings 9 and 6 in an upward direction, then through the annular slit 22 and th casings 6 and 10 downwards, through the settling chamber 20 and the casings 10 and 7 in an upward direction, through the annular slit 23 and the casings 7 and 11 downwards, through the settling chamber 21, be tween the casing 1.1 and the tube 3 upwards, and finally through the circular slit 24 into the suction tube 3 in a downward direction. The suction tube 3 can be connected with a suction pump, though .it is also possible to use a siphoning or lifting effect in order to suck the. liquid along the path indicated through th device. Along this path the coarse, medium and fine impurities etc. settle in the settling chambers 19-21. Any remaining impurities are held back by the tubular sieve 16. Oil or oily matter from the liquid rises in the annular spaces and forms a layer which can be removed from time to time after removal of the part 2 from the container 1. The impurities, slime, etc can be drawn off from the bottom of the settling chamber 19-21 by removing the closing screws 17 from the outlet openings. I

The cleaning device described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2 can be used for a large number of purposes such as cleaning water, waste oil, and also air and gases, in which case, filter elements or charges of water or other suitable liquids can be used in the device.

FIGS. 3 and 4 show a particularly advantageous example of application of the invention in the case of a device for washing dirty workpieces or components in small and large-scale industries. Preferably the device is provided with wheels so as to travel and is used for, or adapted for, cleaning heavily contaminated oily parts in repair garages.

The device consists of a sub-frame 25, preferably clad with sheet metal, and is carried on wheels or castors 26. On the frame 25 a removable Washing container 27 is fixed. In the sub-frame 25 there is accommodated a cleaning device consisting of a settling container 1 and a bell-shaped guide part 2, made, for example, as indicated in FIGS. 1 and 2. The bottom 28 of the washing container 27 lies above the cleaning device .1, 2 and has holes 29 through which the washing liquid can flow, as

indicated by the arrows, into the settling chamber 1, above the part 2.

On the sub-frame at a position adjacent to the cleaning device a pump, for example, a gear pump 30, driven by an electric motor 31 connected with a cable 32 which in turn is connected with switches and fuses which are not shown in the embodiment in order to simplify the drawing. The bottom end of the suction tube 3 of the cleaning device 1, 2 is connected with the pump by means of a suction pipe 33. A pressure pipe 34 leads from the pump 30 to a hose 35 above the subframe 25 and the hose is connected with a nozzle 36 for directing a jet of the clean washing liquid on to workpieces placed in the washing container 27. The dirty washing then flows via holes 29 into the cleaning device 1, 2 and is removed from the cleaning device by pump 30, and then returns in a clean condition through the hose 35 back into the washing container 27.

FIG. 5 shows an embodiment of the invention which can be used for vehicle engines or stationary engines. An engine housing or crankcase 37 is connected with a sump 38 in which, above the oil level, I provide an oil pump 40 which passes the oil through a pressure pipe 41 to the crankcase bearings and other lubrication points.

From the bottom part of the sump 38 a pipe 42 runs in an upward direction to an oil cleaning device which utilizes the principle already described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2. This cleaning device can, as was the case with the device of FIGS. 1 and 2, comprise a settling container 1 and a bell-shaped guide part 2, in which the annular settling chambers are arranged in the same plane concentrically to one another, However in view of the limited amount of space below the bonnet of vehicles, a construction of oil cleaner in accordance with FIG. 5 is more advantageous. In this construction the settling chambers are arranged concentrically about the axis of the device and lie one above the other along the axis.

This oil cleaner consists of a tubular outer container 43 which is closed in a completely fluid-tight manner by a horizontal part 44 and a removable cover 45. Into the bottom part of the outer container 43 there opens a hole 46 connected with a supply duct 42 coming from the sump 38. In the horizontal part 44 there is an outlet opening 47 which has a connection closed by a screw 48. The cover is sealed by means of ring seal 49 engaging the top of the container tube 43.

Along the central axis of the container 43 there runs a suction tube 50 which at 51 passes through a hole in the horizontal part 44 to which it is connected by welding or otherwise. The suction tube 50 opens into a sieve element 52 or the like and is connected in the latter with a suction pipe part 53 which passes through the bottom of the sump 38 and is connected with oil pump 40.

Concentrically arranged in relation to the outer container 43 I provide a somewhat shorter tubular inner container 54 with a bottom 55 through which the suction tube 50 also passes. The inner container 54 is supported by means of a compression spring 56 and is sealed against the suction tube 50 by an O-ring 57. Above the bottom 55 of this inner container 54 there is a further shorter inner container 58 whose bottom 59 rests on a compression spring 60. The tubular casing of the inner container 58 can be provided with openings 61 and be covered with a wire fabric sieve or filter fabric 62.

A tube 63 concentric to the suction tube is attached to the container lid 45, for example, by welding. This tube ends in the inner container between the container bottom 55 of the latter and the container bottom 59 of the second inner container 58. The tubular casing of the inner container 54 is provided at its bottom end with slit-like openings 64. The suction tube 50 runs upwards inside the perforated inner container 58 through the container lid 45 where it is firmly anchored, By means of an external thread 65 and a screw cap 66 on it, the container lid 45 is screwed on the other end of the suction tube 50 using a rubber sealing ring 67, and thereby 0 simultaneously pressed on to the ring seal 49 of the outer container 53. The suction tube 50 has at least one wall opening 68 somewhat below the container bottom 45.

In this manner several settling chambers are formed in the oil cleaner, that is to say, an outer settling chamber 69 above the container bottom 44, a central settling chamber 70 above the container bottom 55, and an upper settling chamber 71 above the inner container bottom 59.

The oil circulates through the system so made up in the direction of the arrows indicated in FIG. 5. The whole of the oil surface 39 in the sump 38 is acted upon by the pressure of the atmosphere. On starting the engine, the oil pump immediately produces a sub-atmospheric pressure in the bottom end of the suction tube 50 so that the siphoning or suction effect of the device is started. The dirty oil from the oil sump 38 flows through the container so that impurities are deposited in the chambers 69-71. The purified oil is then forced by the oil pump 40 through the pressure pipe 41 into the lubricating system of the engine and then finally collects again in the sump 38 and is then recirculated.

Such an oil cleaner can be used in all stationary and vehicle engines in which the oil circulation system includes a sump or other collection space. Apart from the Settling or precipitation effect which is obtained by the serially connected settling chambers, the lubrication system in accordance with the invention has the further advantge that it can hold a greater quantity .in the settling container. This is advantageous from the point of view of cooling the oil, and for this purpose, the settling chamber can be provided with cooling ribs which are subjected to an air current from a fan or to the air through which the vehicle travels. Residues from the oil can easily be removed. In accordance with the invention the oil cleaner is connected with the suction side of the oil circulation system and the oil sieve can be placed outside the sump, for instance in the connecting device 52 so that it is easily accessible. In the prior art oil systems the oil sieve was placed in the suction side of the system inside the sump upstream from the oil pump so that access was difiicult. An auxiliary branch circuit filter on the pressure side of the oil system can be dispensed with so that costs are reduced. Also, the oil pump can be arranged at any desired position away from the sump and thus be made more accessible, From the practical point of view oil cleaning with a device in accordance with the invention is substantially improved. The bearings of the motor are less subjected to wear because metallic particles removed from engine components by friction are practically entirely removed from the oil. There is also the advantage that the oil has to be changed less often.

In the individual chambers or compartments of the settling container it is possible, as already mentioned, to arrange one or more sieves or filter elements. FIG. 6 shows for example three various coarse and fine filters 72 to 74. Also this figure shows the use of a heating coil 75 which is preferably arranged around the suction tube 43. A heating of the medium can for example be advantageous with a workpiece washing device in accordance with FIGS. 3 and 4 because the washing solution of such machines is more effective in a certain temperature range.

FIG. 7 diagrammatically shows a further particularly simple embodiment of the cleaning device in accordance with the invention. The settling container 1 and the bellshaped guide part 2 are constructed substantially as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 but the settling container is not open at the top but is closed by the enlarged horizontal part 8' of the part 2 having a corresponding diameter. The part 8 has a profile rim 76 and makes a joint with the outer casing 5 of the container 1 by means of a sealing ring 77. The upper end of the suction tube 3 which is closed at this position is connected by means of a joint with a sealing ring 78 with a hole in the horizontal part 8' and connected for example with a nut 79 which presses the part 8' against the sealing ring 77.

An ascending pipe 81 is connected with a lateral inlet connection 80 of the settling container 1 and the bottom 82 of the pipe 81 dips into a liquid container, for example, in a container 83 below the level 84. A suction or siphon connection 85 is joined with the bottom end of the suction tube 3 and has an outlet opening 86 above the level of the container 83. This device can work without a pump solely by the siphoning action so that the liquid to be cleaned flows as indicated by the arrows from the container 83, through the settling container 1 and the various settling chambers to the suction tube 3 and the siphon tube 85, The liquid level 84 is subjected to the pressure of the atmosphere.

If the cleaner liquid is to be returned to the container, for example for use as a washing medium, a pump 87 is provided in the pipe 85. The pump passes the liquid through a pressure pipe 88 back in an upward direction into the container 83. Such a device can also be used as an oil cleaner in accordance with the device shown in FIG. 5.

What I claim is:

1. In a liquid circulation system comprising suction producing means and a cleaning device for removing suspended solid particles from liquid in the system, the cleaning device being arranged to take up liquid from the rest of system and return liquid to the rest of the system, the improvement that the cleaning device comprises: a settling container with a liquid inlet opening and a liquid exit opening; upright sleeves arranged in the container so as to surround one another and extending generally vertically, first plate-like means connected with the top ends of the sleeves in a fluid-tight manner; upwardly extending cylindrical bafiles extending between the sleeves with clearances between the bafiles and the sleeves; and second plate-like means connected with the bottom ends of the baflies in a fluid-tight manner, there being liquid passage apertures between the first plate-like means and the top ends of the battles and liquid passage apertures between the second plate-like means and the bottom ends of the sleeves for allowing the liquid to move alternately upwards and downwards between baffles and sleeves on its way from the inlet to the outlet at a speed which is lower than the speed of sedimentation of the particles to be removed, the sleeves and bafiles being fixed in relation to each other, the suction producing means being arranged to maintain a subatmospheric pressure at the outlet of the device.

2, The structure as set forth in claim 1 comprising a suction tube extending from the exit opening, which is arranged in the bottom part of the container, the suction tube extending upwards to a position near the first platelike means.

3. The structure as set forth in claim 2 further comprising a pump for drawing ofi liquid through the outlet tube.

4. The structure as set forth in claim 1 in which the second plate-like means forms a bottom of the container. and the structure further comprises plugs in the bottom for the removal of settle solid particles.

5. The structure as set forth in claim 4 in which the suction tube has a lateral hole near its topend and above this hole is screw-threaded for holding the first plate-like means in position.

6. The structure as set forth in claim 5 comprising a nut screwed on to the top of the suction tube, the screw thread at the top end of the suction tube being a male screw thread in the nut.

7. The structure as set forth in claim 1 comprising a take-up tank, an inlet pipe connecting the container inlet with the tank, an outlet pipe connected with the container exit opening and ending at a lower level than the level of liquid in the tank.

8. The structure a set forth in claim 1 in the form of an apparatus for washing articles and additionally comprising an enclosure with a perforated bottom, a nozzle for directing a jet of liquid onto the articles, a pump for supplying liquid from the container to the nozzle, the perforated bottom being arranged over the container for flow of liquid from articles in the enclosure through the perforated bottom into the container for sedimentation of particles washed olf the articles.

9. The strucure as set forth in claim 1 in the form of an engine lubrication system and further comprising a pump to supply oil from the container to engine bearings.

10. The structure as set forth in claim 9 comprsing two upright pipes connecting the container with the engine,

11. The structure as set forth in claim 1 in which the bafiles extend down to different levels and the second plate-like means comprises discs at different levels attached to the respective lower ends of the baffles.

12. The structure as set forth in claim 11 comprising at least one filter insert between one such baflle and one such sleeve.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,413,375 12/1946 Pomeroy 210206 X JAMES L. DE CESARE, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 

